Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 BMW R1200C. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–13 of 13
FINAL DRIVE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. NO OIL LEAKED BEFORE FAILURE. SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549, AND CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED UNDER CAMPAIGN DP12001. *KB *TR
I HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN ODI NO. 10439549. THE LEAK OF OIL CAUSED THE SIDE OF THE TIRE TO BECOME FOULED,AND THE BRAKE WAS HEAVILY COATED AS WELL. I STOPPED AND HAD THE MOTORCYCLE TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE A NEW SET OF BRAKE PADS WERE REQUIRED, AS WELL AS THE REAR BEARING AND SEALS. *KB
AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FINAL DRIVES IN OUR R1200C'S AND R1200CL'S IS THE DREADED FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. MOST OF US WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, FIRST NOTICED EITHER A LATERAL WOBBLE OF THE REAR WHEEL, DROPS OF FLUID ON OUR REAR WHEELS, AND/OR FLUID STAINS SPRAYED RADIALLY ON THE REAR TIRE. WELL, I TOOK A 600 MILE JAUNT LAST WEEKEND TO MAKE SURE THE BIKE COULD HANDLE THE NEW TOURING BAGS AND THE T-BAG I BOUGHT. THE TRIP WAS GREAT - NEAR QUINCY, CA. WHEN I GOT HOME, I NOTICED SOME OIL SPOTS ON THE RIGHT REAR BAG, THE HORROR OF HORRORS, RADIAL STRIPES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR TIRE. I LOOKED UP UNDER THE FINAL DRIVE AND WHAT DO I SEE? - YES, A BIG OLD DROP OF OIL! GROAN, AND I'M LEAVING ON SATURDAY FOR SC. *KB
WHILE RIDING MY MOTORCYCLE FUEL STARTING SPRAYING FROM A FUEL LINE DISCONNECT FITTING. THE MALE PORTION BROKE. I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND NOTICED FUEL JUST GUSHING OUT OF ONE OF THE SIDE PANELS AND SPLASHING ON THE EXHAUST. MY ENTIRE TANK (APROX 2 GALLONS) EMPTIED IN A MATTER OF 1-2 MINUTES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BUT FROM RESEARCH ON ONLINE FORUMS WWW.CHROMEHEADS.COM IT IS VERY COMMON. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR FIRE. THE FUEL WAS DRIPPING DIRECTLY ONTO MY HOT EXHAUST PIPES, LEGS AND BOOTS. IF THE FUEL HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME SERIOUS INJURY. BMW NOW SELLS METAL QUICK CONNECTS. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND ALL THESE PLASTIC QUICK CONNECTS SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH METAL ONES. *TR
TRAVELING HOME ON TWO LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. I HAD TRAVELED 40 MILES FROM MY STARTING POINT PRIOR TO EVENT. HEARD A LOUD POP AND AIR ESCAPING FROM REAR TIRE. THE TIRE WENT FLAT AND THE MOTORCYCLE MOVED VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND FLIPPED. I TRIED TO CONTROL BUT THE BIKE FLIPPED ME OFF AND I SUSTAINED INJURIES. I TALKED WITH THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY FOUND NO HOLES IN THE TIRE ALTHOUGH FELT THE VALVE STEM FAILED DUE TO RUBBER FAILURE. THIS MOTORCYCLE IS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD HAVE OTHERS FAILED SO EARLY?
BMW MOTORCYCLE MODEL R1200CLC. THE MOTORCYCLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. BMW'S RESPONSE IS NO FAULT FOUND OPPERATING AS DESIGNED.
THE BMW "CRUISER" FAMILY OF MOTORCYCLES EXHIBITS A LARGE PROPORTION OF UNITS THAT HAVE A "PULL TO THE RIGHT" ISSUE, IN VARYING DEGREES. THIS IS EXTREMLY DANGEROUS ON A TWO WHEELED VEHICLE. A REVIEW OF WEB SITES THAT SUPPORT THESE VEHICLES ALL REPORT THE SAME ISSUE OCCURING. TO DATE, BMW HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUE. I AM CONTACTING YOU AS BMW HAS DISCONTINUED THE MODEL THIS YEAR AND I FEEL THAT NO FIX WILL BE FORTHCOMING. OWNERS HAVE DONE VARIOUS QUICK FIXES, BUT NONE HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED BY BMW. CURRENTLY MY BIKE WITH 6,000 MILES IS SHOWING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR INDICATIVE OF A "PTTR" (PULL TO THE RIGHT) ISSUE. THIS PTTR ALSO HAS BEEN REPORTED TO CAUSE FATIGUE AMONG SOME RIDERS, ALL WHICH COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENT/INJURIES. REFER TO WWW.CHROMEHEADS.ORG FOR BOARD DISCUSSION OF THE PTTR ISSUE AMONG OWNERS. THANK YOU, R KARLSTAD. *AK
REARVIEW MIRROR DESIGN ON THE BMW R1200 CLC MOTORCYCLE PROVIDES LITTTLE OR NO VIEW TO THE SIDES AND POOR VIEW TO THE REAR.THIS PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY BAD AT NIGHT.*AK
MOTORCYCLE THROTTLE LOCKS AT 2000 RPM WITH NO WARNING, MOTORCYCLE ENGINE WILL DIE WHEN CLUTCH IS ENGAGED., MOTORCYCLE WILL DIE DUR ACCELERATION FROM STANDING STOP.
BMW R1200CLC MOTORCYCLE SUFFICIENTLY MISBALANCED (I.E. CENTER OF GRAVITY).HE RIGHT OF CENTER LINE, SUCH THAT A RIGHT COUNTER STEER IS CONTINUOUSLY REQUIRED TO ENABLE THE BIKE TO TRACK STRAIGHT; IMPLYING THAT THE BIKE. *AK COULD NOT BE RELIABLY BE RIDDEN STRAIGHT WITHOUT FALLING OVER, ON LOW TRACTION SURFACES SUCH AS GREASY, OR ICY ROADS; AS WELL AS CREATING LEFT ARM RIDER FATIGUE OVER LONG DISTANCES, AND INDUCING EXCESSIVE LEFT SIDE FRONT TIRE WEAR.
BMW MOTORCYCLES MODEL YEAR 2003 MODEL # R12CL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT WHEEL ALIGNMENT/TRACKING PROBLEM SECONDARY TO A DESIGN DEFECT. BMW ARGUES THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS MODEL AND REFUSES TOI ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. *AK THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL MANDATED. FOLLOWING IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AS I DESCRIBED AND CONFIRMED IT WITH BMW. 2003 BMW R12CL [XXX] HAS TRACKING TO THE RIGHT PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY BMW MASTER TECHNICIAN [XXX] AT DEALER 2049. FRONT AND REAR WHEEL FRAME GEOMETRY AND TRACKING TO THE RIGHT. THIS MOTORCYCLE WAS NOTED BY MYSELF TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PULL OR TRACKING TO THE RIGHT SIDE DURING NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS EVALUATED FOR THIS PROBLEM BY BMW MASTER TECHNICIAN [XXX] ON JUNE 3 2003 AT DEALERSHIP 2049 AND HE DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. THE UNIT HAD BEEN IN SERVICE FOR 578 MILES AT THIS TIME. REPAIR ORDER 44013 WAS GENERATED AT THIS TIME DOCUMENTING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ATTACHED THIS FOR YOUR REVIEW. SINCE THIS PROBLEM CAUSES RIDER FATIGUE FROM THE CONSTANT STEER PRESSURE THAT MUST BE APPLIED TO KEEP THE MOTORCYCLE TRACKING FOLLOWING THE ROAD IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE ALSO IT WILL CAUSE PREMATURE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR , IT MUST BE ADDRESSED NOW. SERVICE MANAGER LONG TOLD ME THAT HE HAD CONTACTED YOU TO DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND THAT YOU REPLIED ALL BMW MOTORCYCLES TRACK TO THE RIGHT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
2003 BMW R1Z00 CK MOTORCYCLE TRACKS TO THE RIGHT BECAUSE THE MOTORCYCLE IS BALANCED HEAVY ON THE RIGHT. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS IMBALANCED AND HEAVY ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *SCC
WHILE DRIVING MOTORCYCLE'S STABILITY IS HARD TO MAINTAIN, IT ALWAYS PULLS TO THE RIGHT, DEALER HAS INSPECTED MOTORCYCLE AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. BMW, MODEL R1200CLC , 2003.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Data on this page last refreshed .